anything in the end. in alexandria, andrea mccarren, 9 news now. >>> on the campaign trailpresidentobamawashanging around the nation's capital. he's got to host some fundraisers. meantime gop opponent mitt romney traveled to pennsylvania to try and sway voters there. romney continued to attack the lack of economic growth under president obama and how it may cause other countries to doubt our country. >> do you understand china's economy is growing at 7 or 8%. russia's economy is growing at 4% and our economy is growing at 1.3%? [ booing ] >> yeah. we're in a very different road than what i think the people of the road expected for the united states of america and if i'm elected president of this country, i will get us back on a road of growth and prosperity and strength. [ cheering and applause ] >> at a fundraiser president obama told his supporters that it will take more than one term for change to happen and he said ronnie's approach for writing off nearly half -- romney's approach for writing off nearly half of the nation will not do that. >>> we'd probably agree there's no good wa

. >> reporter: while both candidates are practicing in private,presidentobamahelda closed-door session this afternoon. and publicly their campaigns are showering the opponents with praise. a message from one expert outlines romney's skills as a prepared, aggressive, debater. the romney campaign is touting president obama's natural gifts and the extensive seasoning under the bright lights of the bright stage. today, in a mock debate, senator john kerry dismissed the idea that the republican nominee is an experienced debater, pointing to more than 20 debates. >> oh please, just give me 20 breaks, not just one. >> reporter: but analysts saying given the state of the race, the burden may be on the challenger. >> he has to do something to get people to take a deep breath, and say wait a minute, well, i thought i made a decision about supporting the president but maybe i better look a second time at mitt romney, that is what he needs to do. >> reporter: and one other thing on today's flight this evening, mitt romney said that people tend to during the debates, focus on the small things, like

weeks, unleashing a new attack onpresidentobama, regardingthe chaos in the east. >>> and fighting breast cancer, what they hope can be a new break through in a new road map to more effective teaching. >>> and education nation summit, what is coming to just about every school in the country. question is, are teachers and students ready for what is on the way. >>> a broken heart, could it really be fatal? tonight, the doctors who say yes and warn that women have the most to worry about. >>> and the panda, why it is proving so difficult to say these animals fr. >>> this is nbc fightly news with brian williams. >>> good evening, if the race for president seems to have an urgency not fully supported by the calendar, then think of it this way. there are roughly a thousand hours to go before the election. every day and moment counts for the incumbent president and the man trying to unseat him. while both men have squared off in separate interviews over the last 24 hours, the first debate is still a week away. and coming off a bad week, the romney campaign is anxious for traction. we begi